Air-impelled liquid pump



May 15, 1951 Fig. l.

W. M. REED AIR-IMPELLED LIQUID PUMP Filed Feb. 26, 1948 20 Fig. 4.

William M.

Reed

INVENTOR.

Patented May 15, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AIR-IlVIPELLED LIQUIDPUMP William M. Reed, Flippin, Ark.

Application February 26, 1948, Serial No. 11,073

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structuralrefinements in liquid pumps, more specifically, pumps used in waterwells, and the like, and the principal object of the invention is toassure positive delivery of water from subterranean levels, particularlyfrom deep water wells.

This object is achieved by impelling the water by air pressure, ratherthan by depending on atmospheric pressure, as in pumps of theconventional suction type.

An important feature of the invention resides in the provision of whatmay be referred to as an air-impelled liquid pump which is simple inconstruction, convenient in operation and which may be quickly andeasily installed in wells of various depths and types.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of anair-impelled liquid pump which may be either single acting or doubleacting, as desired.

With the above more important objects and features in view, and suchother objects and features as may become apparent as this specificationproceeds, the invention consists essentially of the arrangement andconstruction of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the invention, showing the samein situ in a well;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view, taken substantially in the plane ofthe line 22 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an underside plan view of the subj set shown in Figure 2,and

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view, taken substantially in the plane ofthe line 44 in Figure 2.

Like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts in thespecification and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the inventionconsists of an air-impelled liquid pump designated generally by thereference character Hi, the same embodying in its construction a pair ofliquid-receiving cylinders l2, I4 and a delivery cylinder 16, thesecylinders being cast en bloc if desired, or alternatively, being rigidlysecured together in juxtaposed relation by welding, or the like, asindicated at l8.

In any event, the cylinders [2, I4, I6 are provided with a removablecylinder head 20 which is secured thereto by suitable bolts 22, thecylinders being vertically disposed and the head being provided at thelower ends thereof, as will be 2 clearly apparent from the accompanyingdrawmgs.

A liquid delivery conduit 24 is connected at one end thereof to theupper end of the delivery cylinder I6, while air tubes 28, 2B aresimilarly connected to the upper ends of the cylinders l2, Mrespectively.

As in best shown in Figure 1, the cylinders l2, It, It? are disposed ina well 36 (from which the liquid is to be pumped), and the conduit 24,together with the tubes 26, 28 pass upwardly through the well above theground level 32.

The cylinder head 20 is provided with a pair of liquid inlet valves 3 35which communicate with the cylinders l2, [4 respectively, the valves 34,36 being of the spring-pressed, ball check type, as is best shown inFigure 4. Moreover, the cylinders [2, M are provided on the head 20thereof with outlet valves 38, 49 respectively, these outlet valvescommunicating with passages 42 formed in the cylinder head and enteringthe delivery cylinder l6.

Moreovenrfloat valves 44 are provided in the upper end portions of thecylinders l2, l4, these float valves being pivotally mounted as at 46and being engageable with end portions 48 of the tubes 26, 28 whichproject into the cylinders, substantially as shown. As will be readilyapparent, the rising level of liquid in the cylinders I2, M, will causethe valves 44 to close the ends 48 of the tubes 26, 28, while falling ofthe liquid level will cause the valves to open.

An air cylinder 58, provided with closed ends 52, 54 is disposed abovethe ground level 32 and contains a reciprocable piston 55 actuated by arod 58. The aforementioned air tubes 26, 28 are connected to therelatively opposite end portions of the cylinder as indicated at 60, 62respectively, and needless to say, the piston 56 may be reciprocated inthe cylinder 50 in any suitable, conventional manner. When the inventionis placed in use, the pump is installed in the wall 30 substantially asshown, and assuming that the piston 56 moves in the direction of thearrow 64, increased air pressure Will exist on the lefthand side of thepiston while decreased air pressure exists on the right-hand sidethereof. It should, of course, be understood that the ends 52, 54 renderthe cylinder 50 substantially airtight.

Accordingly, while the piston 56 moves in the direction of the arrow 64,the pressure of air in the cylinder M will be substantially reduced (thevalve 44 remaining open by virtue of gravity), and liquid in the well 30will be drawn into the cylinder I4 through the valve 36. On the otherhand, when the piston 56 moves in the direction of the arrow 66,increased air pressure in the cylinder I4 will cause the liquid thereinto open the valve 60 and to travel through the associated passage 42into the delivery cylinder I6 and thence, through the conduit 24 toground level. Simultaneously, air pressure in the cylinder I2 will bereduced (while the piston 56 moves in the direction of the arrow 66) sothat a further supply of liquid will be drawn from the well into thecylinder I2, in readiness for subsequent delivery into the cylinder I6when the piston 56 again moves in the direction of the arrow 64-.

Inasmuch as the pump is operated by compressed air pressure, so tospeak, and inasmuch as it is of a double acting character, a positive}.

continuous delivery of liquid will be efiected. I

However, if only single acting pump operation is desired, one of thecylinders I2, I4 may be eliminated and the air cylinder 53 may be openat one end thereof, whereby intermittent delivery of liquid will beeffected.

In any event, it is to be noted that the purpose of the fioat valve 4 3is toprevent the entry of liquid into' the air tube 26, 23, as thecylinders I2, I4 become filled. Moreover, the end portions of thecylinder 50 may be equipped with suitable air valves 68 of conventionaltype (such as are commonly used on tire tubes), so that by applying ahand pump to the valves, all water may be forced out of the pump by airpressure after the pump is first lowered into a well. In this manner,the cylinders I2, I4, I6, 50 as well as the tubes 26, 28 will be filledwith air and an ample supply of air will be on hand for the liquidimpelling operation. Needless to say, inasmuch as the cylinder 50 ishermetically sealed and the volume of air in the pump system does notincrease or decrease while the pump is in use, an ample supply of air isnecessary to compensate for its compressibility, so that the pumpingoperation may be properly efiected.

It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will beclearly apparent from the foregoing disclosure and accordingly, furtherdescription thereof at this point is deemed unnecessary.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferredembodiment of this invention it is to be understood that minor changesin the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be resortedto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention asclaimed.

Having described the invention what is claimed as new is;

An air-impelled liquid pump, an elongated cylinder unit comprising ablock of two liquid receivin cylinders and one liquid delivery cylinder,said cylinders contiguously disposed in a substantially triangularrelation and having closed upper and open lower ends, a cylinder headsecured to the bottom of said block and constituting a unitary closurefor the lower ends of the liquid receiving cylinders, air ports providedat the upper ends of the liquid receiving cylinders, float valvespivotaily mounted over-said air ports, a liquid delivery conduitextending upwardly from the upper end of the delivery cylinder,spring-pressed ball check type liquid inlet valves provided in said headat the lower end of the receiving cylinders, said head being providedwith a pair of liquid passages connecting said receiving cylinders to acommon port in said delivery cylinder, springpressed ball check typevalves provided on said passages in the lower ends of the receivingcylinder, a reciprocable air pump comprising an air cylinder having apiston slidablether'ein, air tubes connecting said liquid receivingcylinders at opposite ends of said air cylinder, means for reciprocatingsaid piston. I

WILLIAM M. REED.

REFERENCES" CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

